Adjustable cribs

ABSTRACT

An adjustable crib includes a base and a bed frame which is connected to the base. A tilting device is connected to the base and able to title the head end of the bed frame so that the head of the baby can be located slight higher than the stomach. A rotating device is connected to the base and able to rotate the bed frame, such that the left side of the baby&#39;s body is higher than the right side of the body. The specific adjustment of the crib effectively prevents the baby from throwing up after having milk.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a crib including a tilting device and arotating device for respectively tilting and rotating the bed frame suchthat the baby can be arranged in a specific pose for avoiding fromthrowing up.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

A conventional baby bed simply includes a headboard, a footboard, tworails and a bed frame which connected between the headboard and thefootboard. The two rails prevent the baby from dropping from the crib. Apad or a mattress is put on the bed frame which is arranged horizontallyand the baby lies on the pad with a pillow for supporting the baby'shead. Applicant's former invention for supporting baby's head isdisclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,263,526 which discloses a head forming cot.However, the former invention only provide an ideal support to the head,after the baby had milk, the parents usually pet the back of the babyand try to release the air in the stomach. The purpose of petting is toreduce the possibility of throwing up of the milk. Nevertheless, becausethe milk is liquid and the baby cannot sit or stand so that the liquidfood tends to flow back through the esophagus and this sometimes isdangerous for the baby. A lot of air enters the stomach during havingmilk so that the pressure in the stomach is increased and the baby'scardiac sphincter is not strong enough to prevent the flowing of themilk from the stomach. Therefore, the baby is suffered by the throwingof milk when the baby lies horizontally in the crib. Ideally, if thehead of the baby is arranged to be slightly higher than the stomach, andbecause the stomach is located at the left side of the baby's body, sothat if the left side of the baby lies slightly higher than the rightside of the baby, the food in the stomach easily enters the duodenumwhich is located at the right side of the baby.

The present invention intends to provide an adjustable crib whichincludes a tilting device for raising the head end of the bed frame anda rotating device which rotates the left side of bed frame to be higherthan the right side.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to an adjustable crib that comprises abase and a bed frame connected to the base. A tilting device isconnected to the base so as to raise an end of the bed frame. A rotatingdevice is connected to the base and rotates the bed frame. So as toprevents the baby from throwing up after having milk.

The present invention will become more obvious from the followingdescription when taken in connection with the accompanying drawingswhich show, for purposes of illustration only, a preferred embodiment inaccordance with the present invention.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a front side view to show the adjustable crib of the presentinvention;

FIG. 2 is a rear side view of the adjustable crib of the presentinvention;

FIG. 3 is an end view the adjustable crib of the present invention;

FIG. 4 is an illustrative view to show the control circuit for theelectric motor used in the adjustable crib of the present invention, and

FIG. 5 shows that one end of the bed frame is raised by the titlingdevice.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

Referring to FIGS. 1, 2 and 3, the adjustable crib of the presentinvention comprises a base 10 and a bed frame 20 which is connected tothe base 10 and can be rotatable about an axle 11 relative to the base10. The bed frame 20 may include fastening members 70 connected to twosides of the bed frame 20. The fastening members 70 can be belts so asto position baby in the bed frame 20.

A tilting device 30 includes a titling mechanism 31 and is connected toan end of the base 10 and able to pitch the bed frame 20, i.e. able toraise the front end of the bed frame 20. The tilting device 30 maybe hasmany embodiments for raising the bed frame 20, and may be manual orautomatic. In an embodiment of the present invention for an automaticway, the tilting mechanism 31 includes an electric motor 32 which isfixed to the base 10 and drives first and second pushing rods 33, 330 toextend relative to the base 10 so as to raise an end of the bed frame20. The first and second pushing rods 33, 330 are located at two sidesof the end of the bed frame 20 and are respectively and movably guidedby first and second rails 35, 350 which ensure the first and secondpushing rods 33, 330 to extend smoothly. The first and second pushingrods 35, 350 have first and second racks 36, 360 respectively connectedthereto. A first passive gear 37 and a second passive gear 370 arerespectively connected to the base 10 and engaged with the first andsecond racks 36, 360. A shaft 38 is connected between the first andsecond passive gears 37, 370. The electric motor 32 has an output shaft320 and an active gear 34 is connected to the output shaft 320. Theactive gear 34 is engaged with the first passive gear 37 so that theelectric motor 32 drives first passive gear 37 directly and the secondpassive gear 370 indirectly via the shaft 38. The first and secondpassive gears 37, 370 are rotated so as to move the first and secondracks 36, 360 which extend the first and second pushing rods 33 330 sothat an end of the bed frame 20 can be raised as shown in FIG. 5. Twocasters 39, 390 (FIG. 3) are respectively connected to the first andsecond pushing rods 33, 330 for convenience of moving the crib.

Further referring to FIG. 4, the electric motor 32 is connected to acontrol device 50 which includes a motor driving control unit 51, asignal input device 53 having a signal input unit 52, and a signalprocessing unit 54. A further embodiment of the present invention for aremote controlling way, the signal input device 53 includes a signalemitting device 56 such as a remote controller and a signal receivingdevice 55 which receives signals sent from the signal emitting device 56and passes the signals to the signal input unit 52 of the signal inputdevice 53.

Referring to FIG. 3, a rotating device 40 is connected to the base 10and able to roll the bed frame 20, i.e. to rotate the bed frame 20 abouta central axle 11 of the bed frame 20 so that the left side of thebaby's body can be arranged to be slightly higher than the right side.The rotating 40 maybe has many embodiments for automatic rotating thebed frame 20, In an embodiment of the present invention, the rotatingdevice 40 includes a transmission device 41 which includes an electricmotor 42 so as to rotate the bed frame 20 relative to the base 10. Aplurality of passive wheels 22 is connected along a circular peripheryat an end of the bed frame 20 and rotatable about the central axle 11 ofthe bed frame 20. The electric motor 42 has an active wheel 420 engagedwith the passive wheels 22 so that the bed frame 20 is rotated about theaxle 11 when activating the electric motor 42.

The electric motor 42 is connected to a control device 60 which includesa motor driving control unit 61, a signal input device 63 having asignal input unit 62, and a signal processing unit 64. A furtherembodiment of the present invention for a remote controlling way, thesignal input device 63 includes a signal emitting device 66 such as aremote controller and a signal receiving device 65 which receivessignals sent from the signal emitting device 66 and passes the signalsto the signal input unit 62 of the signal input device 63.

While we have shown and described the embodiment in accordance with thepresent invention, it should be clear to those skilled in the art thatfurther embodiments may be made without departing from the scope of thepresent invention.

1. An adjustable crib comprising: a base (10); a bed frame (20)connected to the base (10); a tilting device (30) connected to the base(10) and pitching the bed frame (20), the tilting device (30) driven byan electric motor (32) so as to raise an end of the bed frame (20); arotating device (40) connected to the base (10) and rolling the bedframe (20), the rotating device (40) including a transmission device(41) which includes an electric motor (42) so as to rotate the bed frame(20); at least one control device (50/60) connecting to at least one ofthe electric motor (42) and the electric motor (32), including a motordriving control unit (51/61), a signal input device (53/63) having asignal input unit (52/62) and a signal processing unit (54/64).
 2. Theadjustable crib as claimed in claim 1, wherein the tilting device (30)is connected to an end of the base (10) and includes an electric motor(32) which is fixed to the base (10) and drives a first pushing rod (33)and a second pushing rod (330) to extend relative to the base (10) so asto raise an end of the bed frame (20).
 3. (canceled)
 4. The adjustablecrib as claimed in claim 2 further comprising first and second rails(35, 350) and the first and second pushing rods (33, 330) respectivelyand movably guided by the first and second rails (35, 350), first andsecond racks (36, 360) respectively connected to the first and secondpushing rods (35, 350), first and second passive gears (37, 370)connected to the base (10) and engaged with the first and second racks(36, 360), a shaft (38) connected between the first and second passivegears (37, 370) and the electric motor (32) driving the shaft (38). 5.The adjustable crib as claimed in claim 4, wherein the electric motor(32) has an output shaft (320) and an active gear (34) connected to theoutput shaft (320), the active gear (34) engaged with the first passivegear (37).
 6. (canceled)
 7. (canceled)
 8. The adjustable crib as claimedin claim 1, wherein the signal input device (53) includes a signalemitting device (56) and signal receiving device (55) which is adaptedto receive signals sent from the signal emitting device (56) and to passthe signals to the signal input unit (52) of the signal input device(63).
 9. (canceled)
 10. The adjustable crib as claimed in claim 1further comprising passive wheels (22) connected to the bed frame (20)and the passive wheels (22) rotatable about the central axis of the bedframe (20), the electric motor (42) having an active wheel (420) whichdrives the passive wheels (22).
 11. The adjustable crib as claimed inclaim 10, wherein the passive wheels (22) are arranged along a circularperiphery at an end of the bed frame (20).
 12. (canceled)
 13. (canceled)14. The adjustable crib as claimed in claim 1, wherein the signal inputdevice (63) includes a signal emitting device (66) and signal receivingdevice (65) which is adapted to receive signals sent from the signalemitting device (66) and to pass the signals to the signal input unit(62) of the signal input device (63).
 15. The adjustable crib as claimedin claim 1 further comprising fastening members (70) respectivelyconnected to two sides of the bed frame (20) and being adapted toposition baby in the bed frame (20).
 16. The adjustable crib as claimedin claim 15, wherein the fastening members (70) are belts.